Colorado Supreme Court orders a halt to Denver gay marriage licenses

The ruling stems from an emergency injunction filed Monday by state Atty. Gen. John Suthers, who told the Los Angeles Times that "legal chaos" had been created by rogue clerks issuing licenses after lower courts ruled the state ban unconstitutional.

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The top court's Friday ruling doesn't address Boulder or Pueblo counties, which are also issuing licenses.

Suthers asked to order a halt to license issuance while the constitutionality of the state's ban on same-sex marriage is being considered.

Suthers, against the request of Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, went to the state Supreme Court after a district judge ruled that the Boulder County clerk could continue issuing licenses.

That ruling occurred after another district court struck down the ban on same-sex marriage, but the ruling was stayed pending an appeal. Last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, which includes Colorado, struck down Utah's ban on same-sex marriage and stayed its ruling.